Southam United 2 Atherstone Town 2: Saints and sinners but no winners

Playing their first match of 2014, Saints went some way to erasing the memory of their heavy defeat at Brocton at the end of December with a share of the spoils against Atherstone Town, writes David Hucker.
Robbie Stephens put Saints 2-1 up but they were unable to hang on.Robbie Stephens put Saints 2-1 up but they were unable to hang on.
Robbie Stephens put Saints 2-1 up but they were unable to hang on.

The visitors started the better and keeper Andrew Skerratt, recalled in place of Kieran Conway, made a good save low down in just the second minute.

Matty Sylvester was booked for a foul on Oli Manoochehri but Josh Holford’s free-kick was blocked and Manoochehri was forced off in the 22nd minute to be replaced by Simeon Smith.

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Marc Passey was the second player to go off, being replaced by Danny Wylde just after the half-hour and Smith was denied a scoring opportunity when, having robbed a defender of the ball to go through on goal, he was flagged offside.

Phillips shot wide from the edge of the penalty area and was then denied by keeper Phil Smith, with Simeon Smith putting the loose ball wide.

Three minutes before the break the referee awarded a penalty for a foul by Andy Wilson-King and Lee Smith comfortably beat Skerratt from the spot to put Town ahead

The visitors went down to ten men when Ben Ashby was sent off for a second bookable offence in the 52nd minute and Smith easily saved Jamie Coleman’s free-kick.

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Robbie Stephens then had a good chance, cutting in from the left, but squared the ball instead of going for goal.

Another foul led to a free-kick from Holford and Smith headed back across the goal for substitute Ryan Caputo to bring Saints level.

The real drama was yet to come as a flurry of cards saw both sides lose a player as well as score a goal.

Stephens put Saints into the lead for the first time before Town were reduced to nine men when Steve Olanipekun received two yellow cards in quick succession.

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Saints themselves went a man down following a second yellow for Wilson-King and Town then pulled level through Smith’s second of the match.

There was still time for Simeon Smith and Stephens to both have chances to get a winner but, in the end, it took a fine double save from Skerratt to earn Saints a point.

Tuesday’s Birmingham County FA Midweek Floodlit Cup quarter-final against Castle Vale JKS was postponed because of a waterlogged pitch and, with Saints not having a match tomorrow, the break will provide welcome respite to those players carrying injuries, although Passey is likely to be out for several weeks.

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